Gas and liquto separator



June 20, 1950 J, CAMPBELL 2,511,967

GAS AND LIQUID SEPARATOR Filed April 29, 1948" /4 2 I /a\ 22 /8 \lalaufllhmzzl INVENTOR. A?

Ari-army Patented June 20, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAS AND LIQUID SEPARATOR Julian A. Campbell, Long Beach, Calif. Application April 29, 1948, Serial No. 23,937

' (o1. lea-s3) 3 Claims. 1

Thisinvention has to do with improvements in separators for removing liquid entrainment from gas, a typical purpose for which the invenhas proven highly efficient being the removal of entrained oil from steam.

My general object is to provide in a single shell to which the gas is delivereditwo liquid separatlng effects, the first acting by centrifugal deposition of the liquid. particles, and particularly in the presence of a porous medium, to separate and isolate the liquid from the gas stream continuing to the second effect. Any residual liquid remaining in the gas then is completely removed in the second separating effect or stage and withdrawn together with the liquidinitially separated.

In its structural aspects the invention contemplates placing in a cylindrical shell a concentric partition or bafile wall dividing the shell interior into an outer annular space and an inside chamber, the gas being discharged. tangentially into the outer space to assume a. swirling flow causing the liquid to be centrifugally thrown out of the gas. To assure the liquid so separated from becoming reentrained in the gas, I preferably provide a foraminate medium, such as fine mesh screen, in spaced relation to the wall of the shell so that the liquid particles are displaced through the screen into a quiescent zone isolating the liquid from reentrainment. The gas then passes into the interior chamber, preferably through an opening in the baffle wall 50 located as to require close to 360 degree swirl of the gas in the outer space.

, Final separation within the inner chamber of any liquid remaining in the gas is accomplished by filtering the gas through a porous material before the gas enters the outlet. Preferably such filtering is accomplished by extending an apertured outlet tube within the chamber and applying fine mesh screen about the tube so that the gas passes through the screen.

All the various features and objects of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be fully understood from the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a View showing the separator in vertical section; and

Fig. 2 is across section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The parts of the separator are contained within a vertically positioned cylindrical outer shell Hl having a removable head i I through which extends a gas outlet pipe 52 depending concentrically within the inner shell chamber. I3, as and to assume a high velocity swirling flow about the ill for the purposes later explained. The shell con-- tains a cylindrical baflie I4 opening at its lower an inlet [1, the latter extending tangentially withrelation to the space so that the gas is required baffle wall [4, as indicated by the arrows. 7 Liquid particles centrifugally separated from the gas by reason of its flow condition in space It, are isolated from possible reentrainmentin the gas by passage through one or more layers of screen I 8; for example l4 mesh copper flyscreen, positioned adjacent and in spaced rela-- tion to the shell ID by application to the vertically' extending spacers l9 e. g., /3 inch diameter wires welded to the shell. Upon being projected against the screen the liquid particles pass through these openings into the quiescent space between the screen andshell; the liquid "then draining down along the shell wall for collection in the body 20 of liquid in the base of the shell. As illustrated, the lower end of the bafile wall H is immersed in the liquid, the latter thus forming a seal against gas escape from the space Hi. The gas passes from space It into chamber l 3 through a slotted openin 2| in the top of bafile wall M, the latter being positioned circularly of the shell with relation to the inlet ll, so that the gas is required to flow an angular distance in excess of and preferably close to 360 in space It before passing through opening 2| into the chamber l3.

Any liquid particles remaining in the gas are removed in advance of its entry to the outlet pipe l2, by passage through one or more layers of screen 22 wrapped about an extent of the outlet tube containing the gas passing slots 23. The screen may be confined between flanges or plates 24 and 25 secured to the outlet tube, the lower plate 25 serving also as a closure for the end of the tube. Liquid separated from the gas by the screen 22 collects in the bottom of the shell and is removed through discharge line 26 into which is connected the usual trap 21.

It is noted that baffle wall I4 is imperiorate axially between inlet l1 and bafile wall opening 2| to thus require upward axial movement of the incoming fluid during the first stage of separation. Also, the bailie wall and outlet tube l2 are both imperforate axially between opening 2! and the uppermost opening 23 to require reversal ing located in excess of 180 degrees beyond said '1 inlet in the direction of swirling gas flow in said space and through which the gas passes into a chamber inside of said wall for delivery to said tube, said wall being imperforate between'said inlet and opening in the direction of gas flow,

tling to a bottom portion thereof in communication'with a liquid collecting space in the bottom ofthe shell.

2. A liquid and gas separator comprising a cylindrical shell, a gas outlet tube extending axially within and out of the shell, a baflie wall between and annularly spaced from said shell and tube, a circular plate disposed across the'end' of said tube within said shell and extending outwardly beyond said tube to form a radial flange, asecond circular radial flange of the same diameter as said plate carried about said tube within the shell and axially spaced from said plate, a porous liquid separating material carried about said tube between said flanges, an inlet through which gasis admitted to the space between said baflle wall and shell, means passing the gas fromsaid space to a chamber inside saidwall for delivery through said porous material and into the tube through an opening in the side thereof, liquid separating from the gas through said porous material gravitating to a collection space in the bottom of the shell.

:3. A liquid and gas separator comprising a 4 vertically extending cylindrical shell, a gas outlet tube extending axially within and out of the shell and having an aperture within said shell for gas escape, a baflle wall between and annularly spaced from said shell and tube, an inlet through which gas is tangentially admitted to the space between said baflle wall and shell, said wall containing an opening located at one of its ends in excess of 180 degrees beyond said inlet in the direction of swirling gas flow in said space and through which the gas'passes into a chamber inside of said wall for delivery to said tube, said outlet tube aperture and said inlet being axially spaced in a common direction from said baifie wall opening, said baflle wall being imperforate between the location of said inlet and the baflle wall opening in the direction of gas flow to require all gas flowing therebetween to travel iboth annularly in excess of 180 liquid separating from th gas i i space t. 1 and in a first axial direction, and said outlet tube and the baflle wallboth being imperforate axially between the baflle wall opening and said outlet tube aperture to require passage of the gas inv the reverse axial direction within said inside chamber, liquid separating fromthe gas in-said space settling to a bottom portion thereof in communication with a liquid collecting space in the bottom of the shell. JULIAN A. CAMPBELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

